Mayors of Small Towns Making Racial History

On speaking of his progress at the G-20 Summit in Seoul, South Korea, President Obama said, “Instead of hitting a homerun, sometimes we’re going to hit singles, but they’re really important singles.” The same sentiment can be applied to the surprisingly quiet inroads African Americans have made in small towns across the United States.

William Sheckles became the first African American mayor of Bardstown, Kentucky in November, 2010. Sheckles’ win is significant because he is the only African American ever to win an elected seat in Nelson County history. In Kentucky, black politicians tend to win elections only after serving an appointed term. Sheckles is a life long resident of Bardstown, long-time business owner and a Western Kentucky University graduate, who served on the Bardstown City Council for 12 years prior to running for mayor. The fact that Bardstown is one of the oldest cities in Kentucky and an early center of Catholicism west of Appalachia and home to a majority white constituency, Sheckles’ win is a testament to shifting attitudes in American politics.

In 2010, Ludmya “Mia” B. Love became the first elected African American mayor in Utah. Love won the Saratoga Springs mayoral election bid over her challenger in a vote of 861 to 594. Love, who is the daughter of Haitian immigrants, was born in New York City and graduated from the University of Hartford in Connecticut. Love served on the Saratoga Springs City Council and has said in local media reports that she did not think race played a factor in the election. But considering the most recent census figures say the population of Sarotoga Springs is 95 percent White and 0.6 percent Black, Love’s history making win may qualify as an important “single” hit in America’s political scene. Love has said she considers it a positive if her win changes peoples’ attitudes about Utah and Saratoga Springs.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: General Tagged With: , ,

Carl B. Stokes or – The First Black Mayor in the United States?

Carl Stokes
Image via Wikipedia

The man who is attributed to being the first black mayor in a major US city is controversial. Most widely cited is Carl B. Stokes. Mayor Stokes was the mayor of Cleveland, Ohio for the years between 1967 and 1971.

His political success began in 1962 when he was elected to represent his area in the state House of Representatives. He stayed there for three terms and then went on to run for Mayor. His first try was unsuccessful. The second attempt was successful when he defeated the grandson of President William Taft. Mr. Stokes began the black power rise in political America.

Mayor Stokes term was marred with controversy that was mostly about violence in the predominately black neighborhood of Glenville. The riots were actually put together and funded by Cleveland Now. After these revelations were learned, Mayor Stokes did not seek a third term.

Mayor Stokes was devoted to many facets of life. Although a controversial figure, he worked to make life better for the black community. After his mayorship ended, he moved to New York City and became the first television anchor in New York City to be black. He remained in the groundbreaking position for over a decade. After that he went back to Cleveland and was appointed as a city judge. Though most men would have been satisfied with the accomplished life, Mr. Stokes accepted an ambassadorship to Seychelles from President Clinton in 1993.

Though some people recognize Mr. Stokes as the United States first black mayor, others feel it is Floyd J. McCree. No matter if he was the first or the second, there is no doubting the contributions of Mr. Carl B. Stokes. Today’s youth should utilize lessons from the work ethic of Mr. Stokes to understand the US heritage and ways to move it forward.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: General, History Tagged With: ,

Great Ways to Increase Your Appreciation of Black Heritage

African Americans have endured many struggles through the years, but thanks to their perseverance and hard-fought struggle for equality, they are accepted into modern society and no longer have to deal with segregation obstacles as in years past.

November 2008 marked a major period in black heritage, and in overall American history as Barack Obama, the nation’s first black president was elected into the White House. His message of unity and an attitude of change resonated with the nation, but particularly with black voters, many of whom were overjoyed that such a day had come.

For people who are interested in learning about black heritage beyond what is taught in grade school classrooms, there are numerous museums and heritage celebrations throughout the country.

New Orleans, Louisiana plays host to an annual Black Heritage Festival. Held at the Lake Charles Civic Center, attendees can look forward to a celebration of all the cultural aspects that have defined African Americans. Past festivals have centered on music, art and cooking exhibitions.

Additionally, Arlington Virginia is home to a black heritage museum that was founded in remembrance of freedom journeys that took place near the area. The museum offers opportunities for the public to provide their support through volunteerism, and provides information about a walking tour. Although the museum does not currently have a physical location for exhibits, many of the geographic locations of the walking tour can be toured online in a virtual environment. This is an excellent learning exercise for educators who wish to teach their students to have a deeper understanding of black heritage and the events that gave momentum to the movement.

These are just a couple of the many options available to those who wish to explore black heritage. Many major cities pay tribute through exhibits and festivals, and there may even be one in your hometown.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: History Tagged With: , ,

How Blacks Ended Up In America?

Francis Bok, former Sudanese slave. At the age...
Image via Wikipedia

Slavery in pre independence America was illegalized by 1890’s, by this time the number of blacks in America was pretty large. These blacks were brought largely from African countries and a few from South America by slave traders. They mostly worked in the fertile lands of the Southern part of United States. It was said that the whites kept dying in the fields doing hard labor, hence the blacks were used instead to do the work for the whites. Black were made to work on agricultural fields and could trade their freedom for crops. A few black became wealth by growing crops of their own. These backs were only allowed to marry between other blacks of the other minority the Indians. After the illegalization of slave trade, there was a steady inflow of the Black population into America till the 1970’s from the Central America, Caribbean, Africa and South American countries. It was believed by the blacks that North America is the famed Promised Land where they could better lives that what they had then. This is similar to what is happening now with the Mexicans sneaking into America. Unofficial estimates show that about 250,000 blacks moved from land in 1890 and the beginning of the nineteenth century. After 1910, the number of blacks migrating to America increased rapidly where guesstimates suggest that more than a million blacks settled in America. This led to the questioning of the place blacks hold in the completely white society which gave rise to widespread racial intolerance.

The blacks were part of American Independence and fought alongside the Americans. Black were part of the World War I and World War II. They played a major role in all of these wars but were still rejected the basic human right and were treated like outsiders.

Filed Under: Racism Today Tagged With: , ,

History of Black Mayors

Dr. Martin Luther King giving his "I Have...
Image via Wikipedia

There are more black mayors are in charge of U.S. cities today than ever before. During the civil right movement black leaders started to increase. Black leaders were becoming more involved in the political spectrum. Many of the early mayoral races were won on racialized platforms. Some people saw this as being part of a larger black struggle.

In the 1990′s there was less than 350 black mayors throughout the United States. According to The National Conference of Black Mayors there is over 500 black mayors representing United States cities. A large majority of those mayors are representing cities with a population of over 40,000 residents.

Black mayors address a wide range of issues, including the role of education in the city and health concerns of their residents living in poverty, the state of black leadership, and the crisis facing young black men in America today. Since the day the first black mayor was elected they have fought to provide a better life for the African-Americans in their community. They also work hard in making their cities safer and rebuilding the education system.

Black mayors are enthusiastic, but face special problems. They are normally Mayors in a economically challenged community. They are faced with the issues of high crime and low education marks. Bringing up the education marks and lowering the crime level can be a tough challenge. Thankfully there are more black mayors today than ever before and they are rising to the challenge like never before.

Educating yourself on the civil rights movement and the progress African Americans have had is something everyone should do. Understanding the struggles that they have faced might help some respect what African Americans have accomplished. The number of black mayors is increasing every year. We are also seeing more blacks move up through other parts of the political arena.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: General, History, Racism Today Tagged With: , ,
Newer Posts »